The whale, the hack and the psychological earthquake that hit HEX

Key Points

  • An elderly crypto whale known as “HEX 19” lost nearly $4.5 million in a slow-moving hack that drained his staked HEX over multiple years.
  • The cyberattack, traced back to an entity known as “Konpyl,” involved phishing, laundering, and wallet-draining operations.
  • The breach exposed connections to other scams like the Inferno Drainer and the $1.6-million fake Rabby wallet scam.
  • The hack not only affected HEX token prices but also highlighted the risks of storing seed phrases in the cloud.
  • Investigations revealed a complex web of fraudulent activities with funds being laundered through multiple wallets and services like Tornado Cash.

Summary

In a detailed investigation by Cointelegraph, a significant cyberattack on an elderly crypto whale, known as "HEX 19," resulted in a loss of nearly $4.5 million in HEX tokens over several years. The attack, which began in November 2021, was linked to a notorious online entity named "Konpyl," known for orchestrating various phishing and wallet-draining schemes. The breach not only led to a drop in HEX token prices but also uncovered a network of fraudulent activities, including connections to the Inferno Drainer and a $1.6-million fake Rabby wallet scam. The funds were laundered through multiple wallets, with significant amounts being processed through anonymizing services like Tornado Cash. The victim, HEX 19, a retiree in his 80s, expressed a philosophical acceptance of his loss, emphasizing the importance of family over financial wealth. Despite the financial setback, he hopes his experience serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of storing sensitive information online.

cointelegraph
April 11, 2025
Crypto
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